Reunited in Fuerteventura
AUGUST 2025 • KEY WEST, FLORIDA • CHEOY LEE 40 ‘HAVEN’ & PARKER 36 ‘MAGIC’
NOVEMBER 2025 • CANARY ISLANDS • TASHIBA 36 ‘SPIRIT’
DECEMBER 2025 • ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND • CAPE GEORGE 36
I returned to Key West in the first week of August after an intense ten weeks of sailing that spanned much of North America. That stretch included delivering a Swan 56 from the Exumas in the Bahamas to Newport, Rhode Island, followed by time in Michigan preparing the Corsair 28R for the Port Huron to Mackinac Race. While there, I was fortunate to sail the Queen’s Cup and the Chicago–Mackinac Race aboard the Sydney 41 Unknown Lady.
Being back in Key West allowed me to spend nearly two solid months working hands-on with two wonderful boats: the Cheoy Lee 40 Haven and the Parker 36 Magic. It was good, honest boat work—and a reminder of why I love this life.
By early November, it had been about a year and a half since I was last in the Canary Islands, where Spirit, my Tashiba 36 and Golden Globe Race boat, had been left. A close friend of mine, Cristian, lives aboard his own boat just a few slips away, and knowing he was nearby gave me real peace of mind. He kept an eye on Spirit—checking her bilges, monitoring battery levels, and hosing the decks from time to time. That last detail mattered more than you might think; Sahara sand has a way of settling into everything.
I arrived in Fuerteventura on November 6 with one clear goal: to thoroughly inspect Spirit and confirm that all her systems were ready for the road ahead and the upcoming Golden Globe Race campaign.
After Spirit was driven onto the rocks in 2022, thieves stole key equipment, including her Hydrovane. So this time, traveling with me—quite literally in my suitcase—were two wind vanes: a Hydrovane and a Windpilot. I made the deliberate decision to sail with both systems installed. Damage to wind vanes is one of the primary reasons skippers fail to finish the Golden Globe Race, and redundancy here is not optional—it’s survival.
History reinforces that lesson. In the 2022 race, Simon Curwen’s wind vane failure ultimately ended his campaign. I intend to learn from those hard-earned experiences, not repeat them. Spirit will race with both a Hydrovane and a Windpilot so that, if one system fails, the other can continue.
The good news: Spirit is in fantastic shape. All systems checked out cleanly—no electrical issues, no surprises, no setbacks. That alone was a huge morale boost. I spent the month completing the full installation of the Windpilot wind vane and began a partial installation of the Hydrovane. The boat is well on her way toward being ready for the 4,000-mile qualifier.
In the midst of all this, I received a call in mid-October from Stephen Wraith, an American entrant in the 2026 Golden Globe Race. Stephen asked if I would come to Annapolis, Maryland, to help inspect a Cape George 36 he was considering purchasing for the race. I did—and the boat was in exceptional condition. I strongly encouraged him to buy her, which he did.
Stephen has since hired me to help prepare that boat for the September start, and once I was satisfied with the progress on Spirit, I decided to shift gears. I hauled Spirit, pressure-cleaned her bottom, secured everything, and flew to Maryland, arriving on December 6.
I’m now in Annapolis, deep into job lists, equipment inventories, and planning for the Cape George 36. Actual hands-on work is expected to begin within the next few days.
It’s been a long arc—from the Bahamas to the Great Lakes, from Key West to the Canary Islands, and now back to the Chesapeake—but every mile, every boat, and every decision is part of the same journey forward.
— Guy
